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Listenever Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

the secret for/to doing something great


At 0:39, Charlie Brown says:
I just need to know the secret for doing something great.

Is 'for' here natural?

How about using 'to' instead?
  

Top answer

For me, 'to' carries more conflict and intellect, 'for' is a gentler way of reaching the goal. d

— Meteorquake

  • For me, 'to' carries more conflict and intellect, 'for' is a gentler way of reaching the goal.
  • d
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4 Answers
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For me, 'to' carries more conflict and intellect, 'for' is a gentler way of reaching the goal.
d
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meteorquakeFor me, 'to' carries more conflict and intellect, 'for' is a gentler way of reaching the goal.d
Thanks. I think I get it.
But would you as readily use 'for' as 'to' here?
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I tend to use 'for' followed by a straight noun, eg:
The secret for a good night's sleep...
and 'to' with something verbal ('making') -
The secret to making an egg...
Your example would fall in the 'secret to' camp.
However given your example it may be that the preference also has a geographical element (I come from SE England). Saying "The secret for having a good night's slee
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meteorquakeI tend to use 'for' followed by a straight noun, eg:The secret for a good night's sleep...
Thanks!

I wonder, though, how reliable is the distinction between a straight noun ("sleep") and gerund ("making").

For example, when I Google-News'ed "
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